In the first three quarters of last year, domestic homewear shipments grew 12% year-on-year, but the more notable shift is in fabric procurement structure: basic cotton fabric share dropped from 68% in 2020 to 52% in 2026, while textured stretch fabric share surged from 9% to 27%. This divergence reflects a thorough reconstruction of consumption scenarios—work-from-home, short trips, and casual outings are blurring the boundary between homewear and outerwear.
Fabric Segmentation Forces Silhouette Revolution
Traditional homewear suffered from bulky silhouettes and monotonous fabrics, rooted in the lack of collaborative design between fabric and pattern. The new logic in 2026 is: fabric determines pattern potential. Cotton sateen, with its smooth surface, low shrinkage, and high colorfastness, supports the crisp look of straight-leg pants and lapel cardigans, while cotton-rayon solid fabrics, with their drape and lightness, become the base for spring-summer lightweight sets. These natural fiber fabrics dominate the basic market but have clear pain points—wrinkling, no stretch, limited movement.
The breakthrough comes from functional fabrics like stretch mietong and TR four-way stretch. Stretch mietong features a three-dimensional micro-texture for breathability, resisting stuffiness even after long wear. TR four-way stretch uses bidirectional elastic weaving, offering excellent recovery in warp and weft directions, and is washable and wrinkle-free. These physical property breakthroughs allow homewear to support sharp silhouettes like cardigans and wide-leg pants, achieving an integrated 'relaxed at home, refined outside' look. Fabric companies are no longer just selling cloth—they are providing pattern solutions for brands.
Dual-Category Supply Chain Pressure
The direct consequence of fabric segmentation is doubled supply chain complexity. In the basic category, solid grey fabrics have become the top procurement choice, as brands prefer to develop their own colors and patterns to fit minimalist, light Chinese, or Japanese styles. This requires fabric companies to have rapid sampling and small-batch quick-response capabilities, while ensuring eco-friendly processing—low shrinkage, high colorfastness, and no fluorescence are hard requirements for intimate wear.
The mid-to-high-end track imposes stricter demands on raw material ratios, weaving precision, and finishing processes. Upstream raw material suppliers must differentiate between natural fibers and elastic fiber blends; midstream weaving and dyeing require high-density fine weaving and eco-reactive dyeing as standards, with strict control over shrinkage, colorfastness, and pilling rates. The case of Shaoxing Zengfangna Textile Co., Ltd. is instructive: with an integrated chain covering weaving, dyeing, and finishing, the company covers four major categories—cotton sateen, cotton-rayon solids, stretch mietong, and TR four-way stretch—while also offering men's, women's, and children's homewear series. Its full-process quality control system is a key capability for navigating dual-category markets.
Digital Tools Reshape Selection and Matching Efficiency
The upgrade of fabric and pattern is forcing the entire industry chain to shift from experience-based production to data-driven operations. The AI Cloth mini-program launched by China Textile City Group leverages a textile-specific large model and a massive fabric database, offering functions like fabric video creation, intelligent fabric matching, 3D virtual garment, and trend data analysis. Companies can upload a fabric image and generate a promotional video in one click, which can be sent directly to clients, significantly reducing labor costs.
More importantly, these tools are shortening the industry iteration cycle. Traditionally, fabric selection to sampling took 2-3 weeks; now, through 3D virtual garments and intelligent fabric matching, brands can complete pattern fit and style previews within hours. This means that fabric companies that can quickly adapt to digital tools and optimize their service output will gain a competitive edge.